Edmunds Maverick Review 7.3/10

[Snax]

I take it that you put fuel economy and value for money above all else. That doesn't mean it's true for everyone. Plenty of reason for someone to prefer the Maverick or Santa Cruz over the other. The salt over one website giving the Santa Cruz a slightly higher rating is just sad.

I'm not upset that Edmunds disagrees with me, but I'm more than happy to explain why I think that they are wrong. Specifically, I think that one of the defining characteristics of a small truck is the utility to cost ratio. I think that the Maverick nailed it better than the SC--or I would have bought an SC.

Other vehicles have different metrics. For example, a sports car needs to have a high fun/performance to cost ratio. A minivan should have a high occupant capacity/comfort to cost ratio. A super-car needs to have a high lust to prestige ratio!

Sure, some people choose pickup trucks for different reasons, which is fine. The SC is probably for those people. Or maybe a tricked-out, tuned, lifted/lowered ecoboost Maverick.

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[Mag Maverick]

Hello All, The one thing I really don't understand is the steering wheel adjustments and front seat ??? Maybe I reed it wrong ??? I ordered my Maverick in Aug. never seen one ,drove ,one or Sat in one !!! I'm 6 ft 3 and 265 in Oct. I got to drive a stock build at my dealer . I love the truck and have tons of room in the drivers set . All I can say is the person who wrote the review must be alot bigger or smaller then me . !!!!

 

[Area51BS]

Saw my first SC today. Kind of a silly looking vehicle. Definitely a car with ass end carved out.

 

[Chucky8002]

First post on this forum and I'm just going to send it. The review of the Maverick really struck a chord with me.

Couple of notes from the video review:
- Maverick test price was $31,665, he rounded to $32k. Santa Cruz test price was $41,540, he rounded to $40k.
- Reviewer lushed over the interior of the SC, stating how he could drive longer and with less fatigue, but talks about how there's a piece of plastic that sticks in his back.

There were more things I picked up along the video, mostly the disparaging attitude and language used while describe Maverick features compared to the SC.

He really bit off on the capacitive touch controls of the SC. I've read very few vehicle reviews where people didn't appreciate a return to actual button use. I feel that completely flat plastic with small, painted, backlit words has the potential for more safety issues than the Maverick's basic interface and controls (read, "it has a volume knob").

He also tied in the "visibility of the square, boxy windows" while he was slighting the seating position of the Maverick. Nice velvet dagger. I'm sure the NHTSA agrees.

During the payload portion, he skims over the fact that the Hyundai can only have about 600 pounds of bed cargo and knocks the Maverick that it advertises 1,500 pounds of payload. So for the SC, it wouldn't matter if the vehicle had a 2000lb payload, if the bed can only handle 600, it can only handle 600. On the Ford, if your driver is 200, you can put 1300 in the bed. He ended up giving the point to the Maverick, but it was again velvet daggers pointed at the Maverick.

I can keep going if anyone would like...

EDIT: Added too many "c" to cargo.

 

[mamboman777]

Probably fair. If money were no object, the Santa Cruz probably does come in ahead in the graded categories. However, if they think the Santa Cruz is a better value, they are mistaken. That's why I'm here... Well, that and the Santa Cruz looks terrible.

Warranty. Pfft. They really did blow the value scores. All about T. C. O.

T	C	O
O	O	W
T	S	N
A	T	E
L		R
		S
		H
		I
		P

 

[ttthhasdf]

This thread is in danger of becoming an echo chamber of shills who can't accept that the Santa Cruz is a legitimate competitor to the Mav.

It doesn't even have a hybrid option

 

[Comet71]

Edmunds dropped their review of the Maverick. It is apparent their partial to the Santa Cruz. The consumer reviews score the Maverick 5 stars from the 12 reviewers so far!

I thought the maverick was The truck of the year 2022 lol
shame on them!!

 

[Naranjita]

I love my Korean cars. I really dig Korean vehicle aesthetics and ergonomics. The day the Santa Cruz concept was first shown 7 years ago at the Detroit Auto Show, I fell in love. I wanted it. Couldn't wait to come out with it and buy it up. I imagined an N Line version. Then years and years went on. Slowest vehicle development ever. I then was excited about a Kia pickup. I waited and waited.

Couldn't wait to downsize my full size Lincoln pickup. I wanted something with all the options like my Lincoln, but much more economical. And I wanted it to be fun. So excited for the Korean pickups.

I was always hoping it would be Santa Fe based, not Tucson. And then the new Tucson came out, and I was like, what? What is that?? And then the new Santa Cruz was based on the Tucson. They didn't even bother with new sheetmetal. Just added a bed and some cladding. And then Kia backed out of a truck altogether.

I considered the Ranger many times. But the 2019 North American launch was of an old International version. It looked dated the day they started selling it. The front end is meh. The back end looks like it's some Chinese knock off truck (weird enormous/bulbous taillights) and I HATE THE INTERIOR. Old, old, old. Looks straight out of 2008.

And then came along the Maverick!

I was excited the moment I saw the first spy photo. I was afraid it was too small in the cab. But the interior dimensions were pretty much equal or greater than the Ranger. I was sold.

I have to admit the Santa Cruz no longer makes me full body shiver. I even started to consider it until I got built. I like the Limited trim differentials over the Lariat Lux.

But I don't regret my Maverick. I love the Cyber Orange. It's just me. And the Lariat interior colors have grown on me. I now like them a lot. And the pictures don't do it justice, BTW!

I don't begrudge people who prefer SC over Maverick. To each their own. But to give vast rating differentials at this point is not warranted. When you consider all metrics, the Maverick holds its own against the SC in every way. And for the things that most Americans (and Canadians) care about, I'd say that most will prefer the Maverick.

So the Edmunds disparity is pretty ridiculous. Even if they prefer it.

 

[Abraxis]

"These people do not agree with me, therefore they must be wrong #murica"

 

[Deleted member 1370]

Don’t get me wrong the Hyundai Santa Cruz is a neat truck and great for the market and good for competition. But when it comes to value, the maverick being a truck duh… , price, power train options variety thereof I mean ; the maverick has it beat. Cleans its clock. Perhaps the edmunds folks are just concerned with high end luxury vehicles and everything to ride like a Cadillac from the 70s. Im not sure but id say the maverick is definitely ahead of the Hyundai. But not to say the Hyundai is a complete slouch either.

 

[SkeeterB]

I agree, slanted.

 

[Old Ranchero]

This thread is in danger of becoming an echo chamber of shills who can't accept that the Santa Cruz is a legitimate competitor to the Mav.

only for people who want a vehicle that has only the most minimal characteristics and usefulness of an actual TRUCK, and don't mind overpaying for the privilige of parading around in the ugliest wannabe this side of Cybertruck

 

[technolithic]

I've noticed that some mainstream auto critics seem to unconsciously favor the more expensive, premium vehicle in a head-to-head comparison. They're not consumers, and they get to drive all sorts of cars of varying levels of luxury and capability. You'll often see them write "for $7k you should just get the X package, its worth it." Worth it to who? The average consumer who is taking out a loan for that money, or to a reviewer who gets a different press car to try out every month?

 

[flyjum]

Just a heads up the max load in the cargo storage areas of the Santa Cruz is 661 lbs. The owners manual states to never exceed 300kgs in the cargo areas.
Payload is the combined load of passenger area weight and any other area weight is added.

I personally would not haul anything over 1000lbs or so in the Mavericks bed either.

 

[Traegorn]

Uh. Wasn't the 600lbs thing with the Santa Cruz just a screw up by marketers who had never talked about a truck before? Like I recall reading that it wasn't actually true.

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